1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to back packs for the transporting of supplies and equipment under adverse or demanding circumstances, the back pack including a body harness employable in mountain climbing operations and aerial evacuation which, while serving the conventional purpose of supporting the back pack, includes release means and storable groin straps to provide a climbing or evacuation harness. The harness may also include storage pockets or other means for carrying emergency stores or equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Back packs have evolved through the years into means for comfortably and efficiently carrying considerable weight in supplies and equipment over long distances or rough terrain. Several features are found in common on most popular packs; these include means for properly distributing pack and load weight to the skeletal frame of the wearer, usually through a combination of shoulder straps and waist belt, and a basic rigid framework or internal stiffeners to maintain overall insight transfer to wearer and pack shape through varying load situations. Separately accessible compartments sized ad shaped to contain necessary equipment are also typical features of the modern back pack. Pack dimensions, methods of construction, materials, and strap and stiffener placement have been optimized through experimentation and design parameters are well established.
As an independent consideration, body harnesses, of the type often employed by mountain climbers as a means of attaching themselves comfortably and reliably to a supporting rope, and also used in military operations for the purpose of aerial extraction and evacuation of personnel, are likewise well-evolved and thoroughly researched devices. The harness usually comprises a high strength waist support attached to groin straps to insure proper position and weight support. Loops of webbing or similar means are provided for the purpose of attaching ropes or rigging to the harness, by, for example, a carabiner. Heretofore, climbing harness and other such gear had been normally carried in a back pack and employed only during climbing, evacuation or other such procedures. A certain degree of inconvenience unavoidably attends the wearing of both pack and separate climbing harness, and a penalty in weight must also be paid. Also, a back pack can constitute a considerable handicap if the wearer should unexpectedly come upon an emergency situation. In a military encounter, the back pack must be preserved to secure the benefit of the gear therein, such as the evacuation harness. Similarly, in a climbing or rescue situation, the wearer may be exposed to unexpected hazards while wearing, for the purposes of climbing, the cumbersome back pack.